Back row (l to r): Daniel Lorson @ ODC; Didier Depond @ Champagne Salon Delamotte; Michel Drappier @ Champagne Drappier; Antoine Roland-Billecart @ Champagne Billecart-Salmon

Front row (left): myself, Fizz Eric

 

Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne: www.ordredescoteaux.com/english/presentation.php

 

This is a belated Thank-You letter.

 

Firstly, thank you, Wang Wei, CIVC China representative, for your kind recommendation. There is no better encouragement for a Champagne lover than the acknowledgement and admission to the 'Champagne Family'.

 

Besides the induction ceremony and Champagne dinner, this event gives me good chance to meet Champenois for a chat to get some pieces of interesting information.

 

* Champagne Delamotte

left: Didier Depond, President of Champagne Salon Delamotte

right: myself, Fizz Eric

 

To: Mr. Didier Depond, President of Champagne Salon Delamotte

Dear Didier,

I know it’s all too easy for some people to view Delamotte as Salon’s second label. But I cannot subscribe to such point of view.

1) If one reads a bit history, he or she will see that Champagne Delamotte is not only Bernard de Nonancourt’s starting point in Champagne business, but also the family heritage...

2) Delamotte possesses its own vineyards, own style, hence its own niche. And you’ve been guarding these well.

The dense, deep, vinous, mineral and oily Delamotte Blanc de Blancs NV (2006 based) ,that I blind tasted on Delamotte 250 ans event May 13, simply impressed me of its serious style! And the lovely Rose, made by macerating Grands Crus Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay grapes together, fuses together exquisite red berry fruit and classy mineral tone. The Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 2002 magnum tasted at ODC dinner is all minerality, magnified by the ‘magnum effect’! 

Admittedly, before our meeting this time, I had tasted Salon much more than Delamotte. So thank you for giving me the chance to learn more about Delamotte Champagnes – a discreet house of real family heritage and serious wines with excellent value!

 

* Champagne Deutz

Fabrice Rosset, CEO and President of Champagne Deutz

To: Mr. Fabrice Rosset, President and Director General of Champagne Deutz

Gentleman Rosset,

Thanks very much for your time and William Deutz 98 in magnum!

I enjoyed the conversation and would try to capture the pieces of interesting information you shared with me here for the reading pleasure of other champagne nuts:

1) For 2004, no declaration of your prestige cuvees William Deutz and William Deutz Rose -- not enough concentration (substance) in this harvest for your prestige cuvee standard;

2) Next round release will include: William Deutz, William Deutz Rose 2000 and Amour de Deutz 2003;

3) An accidental discovery of the experimental William Deutz Blanc de Blancs Vintage 1961 -- a forgotten experimental bottling of Prestige Blanc de Blancs 32 years before you created Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs debut vintage 1993!

4) Amour de Deutz was first created with 15,000 bottles per vintage. And now its success has brought about 40,000 bottles per year of sales demand;

5) A slip to skip 1996 vintage for Amour, which makes Deutz Blanc de Blancs 96 a great buy!

6) As we talked about the future possibilites for Deutz to lauch a monocru or single-vineyard bottling, you suggested possibility of something from the home village of Grand Cru Ay…I hope it will come...

7) 1995 vintage has been overshadowed by 1996 – even before 95 was first released, people had heard 96 as ‘the vintage of the century’ and been looking out for 96! Now time has proved 1995 as one of the most classic vintages of Champagne, which is developing beautifully.

 

* Champagne Drappier                               photo courtesy of Champagne Drappier 

Michel Drappier, President and wine-maker of Champagne Drappier

The rich and complex Grande Sendree, created through hard work, skill, passion and patience

To: Michel Drappier, President and wine-maker of Champagne Drappier

Dear Michel,

I enjoyed your speech at the induction ceremony. Your light ‘dosage’ of humor and your cheerful signature with the flying cork perfectly reflect your hedonist house style!

 

 

Very interesting for me to learn that:

1) Drappier Quattor Blanc de Quatre Blancs NV. The unique Blanc de Blancs made from 4 grape varieties: Chardonnay, Arbane, Pinot Blanc and Petit Meslier. A very small quantity, up to 4,000 bottles per release. Due to the very small quantity, you choose to blend the grapes together for pressing (like Dom Perignon himself did), a real fusion! And each release is a blend of wines from 2 harvests;

2)  Brut Nature Sans Souffre NV is sulphur free and dosage free  – a blend of 3 harvests;

3)      Drappier’s jewel: Cuvee Grande Sendree Rose used to be 100% Pinot Noir through saignee method; starting from vintage 2004, a smidgen of Chardonnay wines, 5 - 8% varying from vintage to vintage, is blended in to lighten it a bit.

 

* Champagne Lanson

Mr. Anton Hobbs, Export Director Asia Pacific

1) Before 1970s, Champagnes are mostly non-malo. It's only after the technical development to reliably carry out malolactic fermentation during Champagne's very cold winters that many houses switched to malo champagnes;

2) There are different schools regarding malo and non-malo champagnes, but Champagne Lanson holds the view that non-malo increases champagne's longevity.

 

* To Dame Monique McCOLL, Director of ODC

Great pleasure to meet you! Although I'm not sure if my previous life as a Champenois, I do hope my after life will be a Champenois, if there is...

 

With bubbling regards,

Eric Gu

(Fizz Eric)